Shore Community Services

Shore’s mission is to improve the quality of life for persons with intellectual and other developmental disabilities through educational, residential, vocational and related programs provided with community integrated supports and services.

In 1949, Thomas and Lois Lloyd, founders of Shore, began an informal organization to provide services for her daughter Patricia “Patty” and other children with intellectual and other developmental disabilities in the north shore area. Services were provided in the basement of their Evanston home, which allowed networking with other parents who had children with similar needs. This innovative effort led to the formal incorporation in 1951 of the North Shore Association for Retarded Children, which was as a private not-for-profit corporation. In 1952, the School moved to the basement of the Covenant United Methodist Church and was known as Park School.

Park School became a research center for the University of Illinois, and in 1953, the Illinois Legislature passed a House Bill providing state support for study projects to determine whether certain developmentally disabled children could benefit from educative training. Park School became one of nine such projects throughout the state and was finally incorporated into the Evanston School System as a School for trainable mentally handicapped children.

Unfortunately, there still remained a nucleus of children with severe developmental disabilities who did not qualify to attend Park School. The Lloyds and a resolute group of parents banded together to set up an equally attractive school for those children. A building budget was started and with direct contributions from friends and businesses, a substantial fund was accumulated. In the spring of 1961, plans were finalized and by the end of the summer, construction had begun on the new Shore School, with occupancy scheduled for the beginning of 1962.

Since that time, Shore now provides a comprehensive array of services including small, scattered, integrated living arrangements, vocational center, senior and adult day programs, early intervention, Clinical Services, and Home Based Support and service facilitation. Over 400 individuals receive services annually throughout the North Shore and Chicagoland area.

It was Thomas and Lois Lloyd’s vision that allowed these children and adults the opportunity to reach their full potential as citizens of our community. For this, Shore will be eternally grateful for the Lloyd’s unrelenting spirit and dedication to helping individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities.